Reflecting on Hong Kong: A Journey Back to 1992

In March 1992, I spent four days in Hong Kong. I was 22, the city was still under British administration, and I had the distinct impression that everyone knew exactly where they were going. Except, quite possibly, me.

There was so much to look at. Four days hardly seemed enough to get properly acquainted, but they were quite sufficient to leave a lasting impression.

Business, big phones and very expensive cars

What I remember is a city that looked busy being successful. Sharp suits, people moving with purpose and mobile phones large enough to make owning one seem like a physical commitment.

Then there were the cars. Rolls-Royces caught my eye, especially the green ones associated with the Peninsula Hotel. For a young visitor, it was quite a spectacle. I could admire that particular form of transport without being in any danger of booking it.

Temples, shops and a ferry ride

The contrasts were part of the fascination. I could explore a temple, find myself among busy shops and then take the ferry to Hong Kong Island, watching the city from the water.

That ferry ride was one of the highlights. Sometimes a simple journey gives you a better feeling for a place than a carefully arranged attraction. Also, sitting down while the scenery moves is an agreeable travel arrangement.

Victoria Peak offered another perspective, with the city spread out below. Hong Kong seemed enormous, energetic and rather confident about the whole business of being Hong Kong. I was happy to look on and try to take it all in.

A memory of 1992, rather than a guide to now

When I first wrote this reflection in 2025, I had not returned since that visit. The 1997 handover and the political tensions of 2019 had affected how I felt about going back. The city in my memories and the city I followed in the news were difficult for me to put together.

That is a personal reaction, not a claim that four days in 1992 taught me everything there is to know about Hong Kong. They certainly did not. What I can describe is the impression it made on a young traveller: the movement, the contrasts, the ferry and that view from the Peak.

Perhaps I will return one day and get to know it again. Until then, those four days have their own place in my travel memories. Some cities need weeks to make an impression. Hong Kong appeared to be working to a tighter schedule.

For another memory from the same year, continue with Phi Phi Island in 1992—where the pace was rather different.